Simple Simon
by peanutbutterjellygirl
Summary: I love Simon and Alisha. This is my idea of their organic time line pre time travel. It starts pre Asbo and chapters are written in different styles. I appreciate all feedback, as this is my first foray into writing fan fiction.
1. Pre ASBO

_Early Days_

All Simon Bellamy ever wanted was friends. It's never came easy for him. As far back as he can remember, he's somehow managed to alienate everybody. The boys and the girls equally. Mostly, no one ever noticed Simon but if they did, then the teasing started, the name calling. Simple Simon, that's what they used to call him in primary school. Never mind he wasn't simple. He was the smartest of the lot of them. It never seemed to matter. So, Simon stayed quiet, melted into the background and watched everything unfold about him like scenes in a film.

Simon once had a proper mate. It was during summer holiday after year six. His name was Mitchell and he had red hair. His family moved in near to Simons family from somewhere near Leeds. Mitchell and Simon spent all of their time watching Quantum Leap. The program took place in the future, 1997, and the main character, Dr. Sam Beckett was lost in time. Sam spent every program leaping from different places in time trying "put right what once went wrong". Mitchell and Simon would make up their own leap scenarios and work out how to right imagined wrongs. They wrote all of their scenarios down in a notebook that Simon kept in his bedroom. One day, Mitchell and Simon planned to submit a proper manuscript for a new version of Quantum Leap to BBC. Life was good.

Then summer holiday ended, they headed back to school. Mitchell, the new kid, was very popular. Mitchell learned that his summer holiday mate was also known as Simple Simon. Simple Simon didn't have friends. And so, Simon lost his first and only proper mate. No longer the part of something larger than himself, Simon returned to living in his head. Although he was still lonely, he had anger for company when things got too bad, too desperate.

Two months into year seven, Simon took a packet of matches from his mum's hand bag. He set his manuscript on fire and dropped it into Mitchell's letter box.

_And then he saw Her_

The first time Simon saw her, she was in a chip shop with a group of girls. He took a video of them on his phone. Simon liked to take videos. She was just a pretty girl, with curly hair and a nice shape, in a pink leopard spotted frock. She had brown eyes that cut at you with a mean look but she was still pretty. It was her skin though that caught his eye, the color of a treacle tart like his mum made. He imagined she smelled like treacle tart.

A week later, an old school study partner texted Simon to join him for a night of drink. There would be girls and beer. He had never received an invitation to anything other than his Aunt Edna's 50th birthday celebration. This wasn't the same at all. Despite all of his past social failures, despite the anger and pain of rejection. Worse than the rejection, the pain of being ignored and invisible, Simon accepts the invitation. There would be girls.

The club is all heat and pressed bodies, flashing lights and thumping music. The club seemed trendy, he saw track star Curtis Donovan walk past him in the queue. Everyone looks chatty and happy. Simon wanted to make a good first impression. He ran introductions over and over in his head like a mantra. Hi, my name is Simon. Do you come here a lot? ... Hi, my name is Simon. I love the music here ... Hi, my name is Simon. Do you prefer Next Generation or Voyager? As his mother always said, remember your three P's, preparation precedes perfection. But when he looks to his left his thoughts become all a jumble.

There standing off to the side of bar was the little treacle tart. She was wearing some Union Jack inspired dress. She was alone and looked a little lost, the way a girl looks when she's been abandoned by her mates . Her group confidence gone, she looked like a little girl playing dress up with her electric blue eye makeup and big earrings. Simon wanted to know her. He felt different. He was bold, this was a new Simon. A Simon that is invited out for drinks. A Simon that has conversations with girls.

She was looking down, playing with her bracelets. Simon walked straight up to her. He felt powerful. The lights made her hair and skin look glow. Her eyes raised to his. His heart nearly stopped in his chest. Her eyes weren't brown like he thought. Her eyes were deep green, flecked with brown, blue and gold. Those eyes set against that dark skin and all that untamed hair, brown and red curls. She was like the elements. Ocean, air, fire and earth. In that moment he knew that he needed her. Their eyes locked and she saw him. He was not invisible.

Just as Simon opened my mouth to speak, her two mates materialized out of the crowd. "Alisha, you'll not believe who's here."

Her eyes cut away towards the voice. That confidence is back. Her spine stiffens. She's turns away.

"Who?"

"Guess."

"Chloe, stop being such a slut and tell me."

"Curtis Donovan! The runner!"

Girls giggling. Clucking like hens. He's been dismissed.

Simon spotted his old study partner and headed to the group, but it was all a cock up. He wasn't meant to get the text. It was all meant for a different Simon and he wasn't a different Simon at all. He was the same old Simon. He left his beers on the table and walked out.

At least, he knew Her name now. Alisha.

A few hours later, as Simon set fire to his old study partners house, he wondered if Alisha was wearing proper knickers beneath her frock or little ones that run up the crease of her bottom. Maybe she wasn't wearing any at all. Thinking about Alisha in her knickers made him think about the chavvy girl in the stairwell outside of the club. He saw her knickers. They were pink leopard spotted like Alisha's dress. He had almost touched them but lost his nerve.

Simon was still watching the flames spread through the letter box and thinking about knickers when he heard a cat meow. He had made sure no one was home, but didn't know there was a cat in the house. He looked through the mail slot and saw a small gray tabby running around the foyer in a panic. He didn't want to hurt the poor cat, the cat never did a thing to Simon. There was nothing to pour into the mail slot to get the flames out. Simon did the only thing he could, and pee'd through the mail slot to save the cat. Simon was still extinguishing the flames when his old study partner's mum arrived home.


	2. ASBO

_ASBO_

After setting fire to his old study partners house, Simon was given an ASBO, Anti Social Behavior Order. The terms of the order was time spent in a psychiatric unit for observation and 200 hours of community service.

Simon was astonished to find Alisha as part of his community service team. He was also shocked to see the chavvy girl from the stairwell at the club, her name was Kelly. He had a hard time making eye contact with either of them. The other members of the team, Curtis, Nathan and Gary held little interest for Simon. Gary had an aggressive attitude, Curtis had and elevated attitude and Nathan, Nathan had a mouth that didn't stop. Simon tried to make himself small, stay quiet and avoid the attention of the males in the group.

Life wasn't so kind as to let Simon skate through his community service while mooning at Alisha. It took less than ten minutes for Simon to attract the attention of Nathan. Weird kid, panty sniffer ... it was all starting again. Simon wished he was invisible, than no one could lay their eyes on him. All of the eyes boring into him full of accusation, pity, discomfort. He pushed right hand up into his dark hair and attempted to smooth it down over his face, but Simon is neat and tidy. His hair isn't long enough to hide behind, but the act comforts him.

"I'm not a panty sniffer. I'm not a pervert."

The sky went dark very quickly before the storm hit. Everything was in disarray. They were running, all of them. Shouting, frightened, trying to get into the building. The world went white. When the seeped back into everything Simon felt funny, but he didn't dare to say it out loud. Kelly felt weird too, that was enough of a confirmation.

The next day Simon went invisible for the first time. There in the locker room. He had found a bloody cap and tried to bring it to the attention of the group. He was staring right into Alisha's face and she was staring right through him, looking into the mirror. The mirror held no reflection of Simon's pale visage. Things just got stranger as the day went on. There was strange graffiti on the outside of the building. Tony, the probation worker, was acting odd. Kelly was distracted. And Alisha nearly gave Simon a stroke doing things with a water bottle that just should not be done. Did Alisha get that power from the storm, like Simon's invisibility? Simon was afraid to ask. It seems like some sort of super power to him anyway.

By the end of the day, Kelly had been killed by Tony. Curtis had rewound time bringing her back. It was revealed that Kelly was telepathic. Gary's body was found in a locker. Curtis tried to shag Alisha. Alisha's special power was revealed and she used it on Simon, only for him to reveal he wanted to piss on her tits. As if things couldn't get any worse, Kelly killed Tony and everyone became complicit by burying Tony and Gary beneath the flow. Simon didn't think things could get any worse in his life.

_Practice Makes Perfect_

Over the next weeks, Simon practiced his newly acquired skill. He used it to try to help protect his group. They were the closest thing to friends that he had. Simon still had problems turning invisible when he was angry or felt particularly ignored. On one occasion he was in the locker room invisible when Kelly and Alisha walked in and began to dress. It was different, seeing them this way. He could take his time and look, see them close up. Girls, women, they were so mystifying. Kelly was very pale, like Simon, with a tiny bow tattooed on the small of her back, a white bra and gray panties. He took all of this in, committing it to memory. Simon liked that tattoo. Then there was Alisha, Simon could scarcely breath. Alisha was so different than Kelly, dark skin, black bra and pink panties with a butterfly on the back side. Simon got so close to Alisha, he could feel the heat off of her body. Colorful beads around her neck, splashing over her chest. He breathed her scent deep, like golden syrup, lemon and vanilla. She smelled like treacle tart too, like Simon knew she would. Suddenly, things were looking up.


	3. Virtue Simon 1st Person

_Virtue_

Everything went wrong with that virtue gang. First Alisha and Curtis were brainwashed by the pretty, dark haired girl. I didn't care about Curtis, if it were just him I would have been happy. Then he wouldn't have Alisha. I know she wasn't mine, but I couldn't lose her. Nathan, Kelly and I attempted to get Alisha back but we messed up with the head phones and Kelly couldn't hear us. Kelly was caught and Nathan and I were being pursued by the virtue minions. We were surrounded and Nathan was shouting for my help. In that moment, I was so angry, with all of the name calling. He didn't even bother to get my name right. Who is Barry? I killed Sally to protect everyone and I don't even get a modicum respect. I went invisible and left him at the mercy of the virtue squad. The next time I saw Nathan, he was dressed in a gray cardigan, handing out brochures in front of the community center.

* * *

><p>I propped pretty Sally up in the freezer. She just stared at me with blank eyes. Even dead, she was easy to be around. I eventually calmed down and began to regret how things had developed. They didn't respect me but they were the only mates I had. I would win their respect. And Alisha, she didn't even know I existed but I needed her back. I needed a plan. I could get around without being seen but how could I convince the virtue leader to undo what she had done. I stared at Sally all night, hoping for some inspiration but none came. When the first of the virtue crews began to trickle in the next morning I tucked Sally back into the freezer.<p>

There was only one thing I could do. I went invisible. I grabbed a length of fencing pole from the storage room, popped in my headphones and strode into the thick of it. I spotted the dark haired Virtue girl in a room, she was there talking to Curtis about something. I padded into the room and softly closed the door behind me. Neither one noticed. I didn't want to lose my nerve. There was no easy way out of this situation. I pulled the pole back as if I were playing American baseball. I swung with all of my strength and cracked her in the head. I knew from the sound her head made that she wouldn't be getting up again. I was so wound up that my swing kept going and I cracked Curtis in the shoulder. She went down like a sack of potatoes and Curtis cried and dropped to his knees. It had to be done. I was sorry that I had to kill someone again. I was sorry that Curtis was hurt, but I had to get Alisha away from that group. Curtis and I tucked the body behind some boxes and went to make sure the rest of the our crew had snapped out of the virtue influence.

* * *

><p>I hurt Curtis pretty badly. We all went to hospital to get him checked out. As the doctor did his examination, Curtis winced and groaned in pain. A pretty dark girl wheeling an oxygen tank, popped in.<p>

"Some of us here are wanting to get examined in peace, ya?"

She strolled over and took Curtis' hand. You could feel the current of that touch in the room.

"If I hold your hand, will you pipe down?"

Curtis looked sheepish and piped down. Everyone laughed. Everyone except Alicia. I saw her big green eyes lock on their clasped hands and saw the pain in her face. That shared touch looked like it pierced Alisha's heart. I tried to give her some comforting words but she told me to fuck off and walked out.

Thankfully Curtis was ok, I chipped his collar bone and he had deep bruising. He would be ok, though he had took visit hospital weekly for physical therapy.

* * *

><p><em>The first time<em>

Two weeks after the Virtue gang incident my parents were out of town taking my little sister to Buxton. It was late and I was just finishing some video editing of my BMX bike tricks when someone knocked at my door and rang the bell.

It was Alisha and she was extremely intoxicated. Her father's car was parked askew in front of my building and the driver side door was wide open. Alisha just walked in, she was carry a bag of items and stumbling pretty badly. I walked out to her car, the keys were still in the ignition, parked it properly and locked the doors. When I reentered my house she was standing in front hall looking pathetic. Alisha hadn't been the same since Curtis and the hospital girl held hands.

"Simon, I need your help. You're smart, you know things."

I was having a hard time finding my voice, I knew I would help Alisha with anything but I was afraid I would end up killing someone again.

"Alisha, I would do anything for you ..."

She rushed ahead before I could say more.

"Where's your bedroom?"

I glanced toward the stairs and before I could say anything she tottered up them. I followed closely behind her. I didn't want her touching everything. I liked the order of my room, I needed to control my space and Alisha is not ordered or controlled. My chest tightened and anxiety started to steal my breath. No, I needed to get control of what was going on here.

"Alisha, what do you want?"

I say it more forcefully than I intended but I can't have the ASBO chaos here. This is my sanctuary. I instantly regret my tone when I see tears ready to spill out of those green eyes.

"Alisha ..."

She sets the bag down and starts pulling out items; clear wrap, surgical gloves, condoms, nylons and a whole other jumble of items. Items were falling all off of my desk and onto the floor. I was confused and stressed.

"Simon, I need you to help me figure out how I can have sex with Curtis. I'm going to lose him to that girl at the hospital. He sees her there sometimes, at the hospital, when he goes for therapy. Says her name is Nikki and she needs a new heart. I just imagine them there comforting each other ... I need your help."

I was at a loss for words, looking from Alisha to the jumble of items on the floor. Alisha was very drunk and maybe high. She was unsteady on her feet and words were slurry. I did not want to be in this position. Danger signs were flashing everywhere. She started pulling her dress off and I knew I should stop her but I couldn't.

Alisha was standing in front of me, she wearing a black bra and pink knickers. Her eye makeup is smeared but it just made her look sultry. I didn't know how to get out of this situation.

"I don't think you should be here, Alisha. You've been drinking and I don't think this is a good idea. Tomorrow ..."

"I'll make you a deal, Simon. I'll show you how to satisfy a woman and in exchange you will show me how to touch Curtis. So get your little camera and pay attention, cause this is only happening once."

I was shaking my head no and looking away but my hands were picking up my camera. Once my hands stopped trembling, I began to take video.

She's lightly sliding hands over her skin.

"The skin is the largest organ of the body. It's very sensitive, so don't ignore it. Use your hands and lips. Remember, skin furthest from the light is the most sensitive. High up and the back the neck, under the jaw, breasts, inner thighs..."

My mouth was so dry and my palms were perspiring but I kept the camera steady.

Alisha's top came off and the her knickers were on the floor. I never thought I would see her in my bed, but here I was filming it. A diagram on how to pleasure her if I ever got the chance. Watching her reclined on my bed, her hands spelling out her bodies secrets for me. I knew it was wrong. I captured her from every angle until she threw her head back and collapsed in heap. I thought she had passed out when his lashes flew up and this green eyes locked on mine.

"Don't forget you have to tell her ..."

Her eyes began to close.

"Tell her what?"

"Don't forget to tell her she's beautiful. A girl ... you have to tell her she's pretty so she'll know. If not you're just another boy trying to get into her panties."

With that, Alisha passed out in my bed. I wanted to watch her there all night, but instead I put on a pair of kitchen gloves from downstairs and dressed her. I carried her to her car careful not to touch her skin. I re-bagged all of her items put them in the boot of her car and drove her home. Of course I knew where she lived. I knew everything about her. I parked her car and put her in the driver seat. I sat some distance away and waited until the sun came up and her father came out and found her in the car.

Alisha never remembered what happened. If she did, she never mentioned it. I stole glances at her every chance I could to see if she seemed different the next I saw her. All I got back in return was, "Wot are you lookin' at?" Followed by rolled eyes. I made sure to make a deal out of visiting Buxton with my family over weekend.

I never showed Alisha how to have sex with Curtis, but she taught me how to have sex with her.


	4. Alisha

Alisha wasn't sure what was going on with Curtis anymore. Curtis' injuries were well healed and he'd been released from physical therapy but he was still quick to leave service at the end of most days. He usually made excuses to Alisha about his mum needing his help around the house or some such. Curtis hadn't mentioned that girl Nikki in a while but Alisha was still uneasy.

Alisha had Curtis meet her in the storage room for a little session. Maybe they just needed to spice up their routine a little. They hadn't hooked up since Curtis' injury. Alisha was facing Curtis, watching him and trying to find her way to that place when he closed his eyes. Curtis never closed his eyes during their sessions, he always kept his eyes on her, mostly on her chest and between her thighs. He liked to watch her hands at work, but he also looked her in the eyes sometimes and she liked that. Most blokes just stared at her in bits and pieces.

"Uh, what the fuck are you doing?"

Curtis' eyes flew open and his hand stopped mid stroke. He just stared at her like she was crazy.

"Are you thinking of her? That fucking hospital slag?"

"Alisha, I'm with you."

"Were you just thinking about her, while you are in here with me? That is what I am asking you, Curtis."

Curtis pulled up his orange jumpsuit and walked out, looking back at Alisha over his shoulder.

"I don't have time for this shit, Alisha. I'll talk to you later when you get your head straight."

Alisha just sat there, angry and numb. She felt helpless, what could she do to keep him? Was he even worth keeping? Curtis had kept her afloat, kept her sane ever since she got this bullshit power. If they weren't together, she'd have no one to lean on.

"Now, those are what I call grade A tits, kind of like grade A eggs, but tits not eggs." Nathan waggled his eyes brows and bit his lower lip.

Nathan was standing in the entrance of the open storage room and Alisha was sitting on a milk crate wearing nothing but a pair of blue knickers. Alisha was so lost in thought, she hadn't even realized she had been sitting there near naked with the door open.

"Fuck off!"

Alisha covered her chest and made a move to grab her orange jumpsuit. It was hanging on peg near the entrance. Nathan was too quick.

"Now, now Alisha ... no need for that type of language, you'll corrupt my virgin ears ."

"Nathan, stop with the bullshit and give me my jumpsuit."

"I'll make you a deal. Jump up and down ten times with your hands in the air while saying Nathan is a sex god and I'll give it back."

"Nathan ..." Alisha's face looked like thunder.

"Wait, wait, maybe that's it." Nathan squeezed his eyes shut and put his fingers to his temples as if in thought , "Maybe that's my super power. What if I'm a sex god? Oh my god, it makes perfect sense. I'm going to need you to shag me. Come on, Alisha, you and me. What do you say? No? I don't want to do it either, but I'm willing to do it for science. If it was up to me, I'd go Curtis' route and choose that hospital hand holdy girl too. But if it's true that she has a bad heart, I could be dangerous to her health."

Nathan was biting his lower lip and pretending bend someone over when Alisha snapped. She let out a primal scream and charged Nathan. His eyes flashed up looking puzzled and a little scared. Alisha's first half dozen slaps landed on Nathans back and the top of his curly head. But her hand eventually connected with bare skin and the result was instant. Nathan's pupils dilated and his breath became heavy. Nathan got a solid grip of Alisha bare arms, his fingers were digging hard into her flesh.

"I'm going to shag you so hard you cry. I bet you like it up the arse. Is that what you like?"

Alisha was terrified, Curtis was long gone. Nathan was hurting her, grabbing her bare chest hard. Alisha was pinned to the floor and trying to get out from beneath him but he was too strong.

"Nathan, stop it, this isn't you. It's my power, you wouldn't do this."

Nathan managed to get his jumpsuit down and pulled Alisha knickers off. Alisha screamed and beat at Nathan with her fists. Nathan hauled his arm back and punched Alisha in the side of the head dazing her. Nathan was just getting her thighs apart when she pushed up and elbowed him in the chin, he was dazed but had a firm hold on her thighs.

"Let me go go, you fucking twat!"

"Oh shut up, you little slut or I'll have to stick something in your mouth to keep you quiet."

Nathan pressed a hard kiss against Alisha's mouth. She couldn't scream, she was practically choking on his tongue. She could feel his hardness pressing between her thighs. Alisha squeezed her eyes shut and was trying to wish herself anywhere else when she heard running footsteps. Oh thank God, Curtis came back for her. Alisha knew he would. She shouldn't had been so hard on him. Nathan was struggling to stay atop her, there was a loud crack and he fell on top of her like a sack of potatoes.

"Get off of me, you shit."

Alisha pushed Nathan off of her and scrambled to her feet.

Alisha's eyes opened wide in shock. It was Simon standing in front of her holding a cricket bat, not Curtis. Like usual, he looked awkward in his dark shirt completely buttoned up, grey trousers and dark jean jacket, but Alisha thought tonight, Simon somehow looked different. She couldn't believe he'd saved her. Simon was smoothing his hair down, clenching his jaw and trying hard not to look at Alisha's nakedness.

"Did he ... Did he?," Simon couldn't get the words out.

"No, he didn't rape me. He would have, if you hadn't come along. Thank you for saving me, Simon." Alisha was trembling, Simon carefully wrapped his jean jacket around her shoulders. Their eyes met for just a moment. Alisha never noticed how beautiful Simons eyes were, so intense.

"I think I ... I think I killed Nathan."

Alisha turned and looked at Nathan's crumpled form. Simon cracked Nathan's head good with a cricket bat from the storage room. Alisha knelt and put a tentative hand on Nathans neck to find a pulse. There was none.

Nathan was dead.

* * *

><p>Simon and Alisha sat close to one another on the floor without speaking. The clock seemed to be speeding by more than 4 hours had passed since Curtis walked out on Alisha. What were they going to do? In less than 8 hours everyone would be back for community service.<p>

"You had to do it, he was going to rape me. No one will blame you." Alisha knew it was untrue the moment she said it, but she didn't want Simon to blame her.

"We ... we have to hide him. The others, they'll blame me. Kelly ..."

Simon hadn't thought about Kelly. Kelly was his friend. She had always stuck up for him and Kelly liked Nathan. Oh God, what was he going to do. Kelly would know he did it, he couldn't hide it from her. Simon jumped up, pushed his fingers into his hair and began pacing.

Alisha watched Simon come undone. Oh no, she was shit in these types of situations. Alisha was terrible with words and no one listened to her anyways. Simon had saved her though and he needed her help now. Alisha went up to Simon, put her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest. Simon stopped pacing and let her hug him for a minute before he hugged her back. They stood this way for a long time. Alisha looked up into Simons intense eyes.

"It's going to be alright. We'll figure this out together. You saved my life. I'm your friend and you can count on me. OK?"

Simon nodded, a small smile played across his lips.

"We can bring him to the flow."

There was a shuffling sound behind them. Nathan sat up.

"Bring me to the flow? Ugh, my fucking head ... you smashed my head. Now,Barry, why would you want to bring to the flow? Are you two wanting a three way? I'm in but I get first choice. Now which do I want first, the front or the back ? "

Alisha was shaking," You were dead, literally dead, no heart beat dead."

Simon walked over to Nathan and looked down at him.

"I killed you. You attacked Alisha and I hit you in the head with a cricket bat. You were dead. "

With his orange jumpsuit pooled around his ankles, face spattered in blood and a large bruise on his chin, Nathan beamed.

"I'm immortal!"


	5. She's Come Undone

Alisha couldn't stop thinking about how Simon saved her from a fleshed crazed Nathan. The way he looked standing there with that cricket bat. He was the same awkward, weird Simon but there was just something different about him. Alisha was always aware of Simon when they were near each other now. She stole glances at him when she thought he wasn't looking. Sometimes their eyes met and they quickly looked away. Alisha felt his eyes on her all of the time now. Simon's stare could be so intense that it was unnerving. She used to hate the way that he looked at her, but now she felt her belly tighten and her skin heat up when his eyes were on her. Alisha was used to having men's eyes on her, but this is different. It's like Simon was actually looking at her, and seeing her as a whole person not just parts for enjoyment. When Simon looked her in the eyes it was like he searching for something. She had to admit, she was starting to get a little crush on Simon. Alisha was peeking at Simon's reflection while applying lip gloss in the in the mirror. He looked to be in fit shape beneath his buttoned up facade. Alisha's green eyes traveled down Simon's body, had his gray trousers always fit so snug?

Alisha was thinking that she'd like to see Simon without those trousers when she noticed Kelly staring at her reflection.

"Uh, are you thinking about Simon's package?"

Alisha's eyes went wide and everyone turned to look at her.

"Kelly! No.. I wasn't thinking about that! I ..."

Alisha couldn't think of anything to say. She grabbed her bag and ran out of the locker room unable to make eye contact with anyone. Kelly called after her.

"Shit, Lisha, I'm sorry ... It just came out. I was just so surprised by your thoughts. Maybe I misheard you..." Kelly knew that she had heard Alisha's thoughts loud and clear. She was sorry that she had outed her friend's thoughts though.

Curtis looked confused. What the hell was going on here?

"What the fuck are you saying, Kelly? Is Alisha thinking about shagging Simon? ," Curtis turned and strode up to Simon. "Are you messing with my girlfriend? If you're thinking of laying a finger on her, I'll kill you."

Nathan looked like a kid in a sweet shop. He was fit to burst.

"Oh, wait a minute! Kelly are you saying that our star athlete has failed to satisfy his mop topped fancy girl? or are you saying that Curtis has spent so much time off with Nikki that he has driven his girlfriend insane and she now wants to bang our Barry? Either way, mate, the weird kid apparently has a hard on for your girl and she wants it! Did I tell you how they were hugging after they killed me? Looked like she was up to taking his cherry right then and there, with poor me laying dead in the floor next to them."

Curtis' nostrils were flared and he couldn't decide whether to focus on Kelly, Simon or Nathan.

"Stop being a dickhead, Nathan. I could be wrong. I don't know what I heard, but Curtis ... Nathan is right about one thing. You're not treating Alisha right."

Simon was fidgeting and trying to find his voice. Smoothing his hair down and clutching his jacket, he stood rooted to the floor. Had Alisha really been thinking about him? Alisha was with Curtis, wasn't she?

"I ... I have to make sure Alisha is alright?"

He hurried out of the room, followed by Nathan and his taunts.

"Run, Alisha, run ... Barry is coming to piss on your tits! "

Simon ran after Alisha. Nathan ran after Simon. Kelly ran after Nathan and Curtis followed everyone out in a state of disbelief. Simon caught up with Alisha just outside of the community center doors.

"Alisha ... Alisha, stop!"

Alisha stopped and turned around to face Simon just as everyone else came tumbling out the doors.

Curtis strode forward grabbing Simon by his shoulder, spinning him around.

"Why the fuck are you running after my girlfriend to check on her status? That's my job, so why don't you plug in your little earphones in and mind your own business. Stay away from Alisha!"

Kelly jumped between the two turning her eyes on Curtis.

"Don't you fucking hit him, Curtis. Or I swear to God, I'll kick you in the cock so hard that your babies will be born with a foot print on their foreheads, mate?"

Curtis threw his hands up in the air, shaking his head.

"Can't everyone get out of me and Alisha's business?"

Nathan, feeling left out, inserted himself into the conversation.

"To be fair Curtis, Barry's just trying to get his cherry popped. Who are we to stop him in his epic quest to finally become a man? ..."

It was all too much for Simon. Ever since he killed Nathan, it was like the trajectory of his life changed. Simon felt lost. He glanced at Alisha and saw that she looked shaken up. In that moment, Simon realized that Alisha was his responsibility now.

"All of you back off, just back off !"

Everyone took a step back and quieted down, unaccustomed to Simon raising his voice.

"Curtis, if Alisha is your girlfriend then treat her like your girlfriend. Everyone knows that you've been going out with that Nikki girl. You need to make your mind up. Kelly, we're your friends, you shouldn't be in our heads and Nathan, I killed you once. I can kill you again."

The shocked silenced stretched out as everyone just stared at Simon, mouths agape. Unused to having all eyes on him, Simon began to shift uncomfortably.

Alisha walked up and softly touched Simons arm.

"Thank you, Simon. I appreciate you coming to check on me. You've been a really good friend to me even when I don't deserve it. I need to talk to Curtis, ok? We'll talk later."

Alisha nodded Curtis over and they walked off. Kelly and Nathan looked at Simon with a new found respect.

* * *

><p>Time barely seemed to pass. Simon had been sitting in his room editing video when finally Alisha texted him, asking to meet on top of the community center in an hour. Simon hurried to meet her, feeling simultaneously elated and terrified. Since first meeting Alisha, Simon's feeling had morphed from strong physical desire to a desire for emotional intimacy with her. She'd hurt him in the past by being dismissive and cruel, but after Nathan had attacked her, Alisha seemed to have some type of feelings for Simon. Simon wasn't sure what they were but if what Kelly said was accurate then Alisha may have some romantic feelings towards him. Kelly said Alisha had been thinking about his "package." The idea of that made Simon blush.<p>

Simon made his way to the roof and sat waiting for Alisha to arrive. He was there standing, invisible when Alisha arrived twenty minutes late. She was wearing a purple blouse and jeans shorts with a pink bow in her curly hair. Alisha didn't look like a girl about to profess her love. Simon sat watching her, looking at the planes of her face in the changing light. She looked so different when she wasn't wearing her sexuality like a suit of armor. Simon thought Alisha looked afraid when she thought no one was looking. Simon could guess that someone had hurt her badly in the past. He would never hurt her if given the chance, but he knew he wasn't going to get the chance.

"You've mended things with Curtis?"

Alisha jumped at the sound of Simon's voice. She hated it when he just popped up like that. Great, he already sounded hurt and she hadn't even said anything yet. Hell, he looked hurt. Gah, this was like kicking a puppy. There would be no easy way to do this other than to make him hate her. Alisha put on her trademark smirk and fixed Simon with cruel green eyes.

"Listen, I appreciate everything you did for me with Nathan and all, right? But, I need you to not get involved with me and Curtis' dealings, ok? We're together and I can't have you running around getting under my feet, ya? So, stop being such a freak and leave me alone."

Alisha hated to say it, but it wouldn't work out. What Alisha didn't want to think about is that Simon touched something in her. If she let herself feel anything for him, she could get hurt. Just seeing his jaw clench and his eyes shine with unshed tears was nearly too much for Alisha. She tucked everything away that she had started to feel for Simon and slipped into her old familiar self. It felt good. It felt safe.

Alisha stood up, pulled her cell phone out of her handbag and dialed Curtis while walking away.

"Yea, I'm done here. Are you up for a pizza? I'm starving."


	6. Lucy

Things had settled into an uneasy groove with the group. Everyone seemed to fall back into the same roles that defined them in the beginning. There was Kelly the Chav, Simon the Freak, Curtis the Athlete, Alisha the Bitch and Nathan the Twat. They all got on OK, but there was an underlying strain. Simon was afforded a bit more respect since he stood up to the group . Despite being emotionally beat up by Alisha, Simon felt he had made some gains. But, the day the community center hosted an arts programs for the local psychiatric unit, Simon felt to gains begin to rapidly dissipate.

No, no, no,no! Lucy is here, was all Simon could think. Simon saw her, small and dark with clever eyes, just like he remembered her from the unit. Simon tried to avoid her but she cornered him and said she missed him. Lucy wanted to see him that night. She said it was important. Simon had meant to go but it had slipped his mind. He was home, working on his butterfly collection and truth be told; he didn't want to be reminded of his time in the unit. After Simon set the fire, he was sent to a psychiatric unit for observation. Lucy and Simon met there and made a connection. The unit was scary, Simon was happy to have a lifeline in Lucy. Someone to keep him focused, to take his mind off of where he was at physically and mentally. But now ... now Lucy was just a reminder of that place and of how Simon felt in that place. That Simon was gone now.

The next day Lucy approached Simon in front of group.

"Where were you? I waited for you. You promised."

Simon looked trapped.

"We had something we had to do."

"Were you with them?" , she asked, eyeing the group.

Simon made his way past Lucy over to the gang. He had hoped no one noticed their interaction but it seemed everyone had. Worst of all, Nathan began making fun of Lucy, talking about her having to hang out with the other crazies. Simon knew he should step in but he didn't. Simon held his tongue and pretended to not know the small, dark girl with clever eyes.

* * *

><p>Simon got a shock when he turned around from grabbing his lunch box out of his locker. There was Alisha, just standing there in her belted orange jumpsuit, leaning against the lockers, looking at him. Things were very tense with Alisha since their meeting on the rooftop. It was like saving Alisha from Nathan never occurred. Simon stopped following her and stopped looking at her. The latter being very difficult but he wasn't going to be subjected to anymore of her scorn.<p>

Still Simon gave her a wave and a little smile . There was still always hope that she might return some small kindness.

Something seemed different about Alisha. The way she was looking at him.

Alisha unzipped her jumpsuit.

Simon did not expect this, he averted his eyes. He couldn't seem to find his words.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

Alisha held open the front of her jumpsuit revealing an orange and blue paisley bikini top barely covering her ample breasts. She locked her gaze on Simon.

"I'm seducing you. I'm being all slutty and horny."

She walked towards him and grabbed his arm, placing his hand on her breast. Simon felt dizzy with anxiety. There was the drunken night at his home, but this was different. First, Alisha was sober now. She was inviting him to touch her and he WAS touching her. He looked at her breasts, looked away ... this was all wrong.

"You're with Curtis."

"Curtis? Curtis and me are over." She unsnapped his orange jumpsuit. "He didn't satisfy me ... sexually."

Simon's hand was still over Alisha's breast when she dropped to her knees, unzipping his jumpsuit as she went down. His hand was still in the same spot, now over an empty space and Alisha had her hands in his underpants.

"What are you doing? I, I don't think you should be doing that. You shouldn't be doing THAT."

Alisha succeeded in getting Simon out of his underpants and she didn't sound disappointed.

"Hello, big boy."

All coherent thought stopped for Simon once Alisha's lips wrap around him, warm and wet. His entire being tingled and his ears were buzzing and a million synapses were firing in his brain at once. It was over almost as soon as it started. Alisha was standing up, licking her lips.

"Catch you later."

Alisha walked away with a dumbfounded Simon staring after her.

What just happened? Simon was elated. Simon was concerned. That, that what Alisha did, oral sex, that was amazing. He had to find Alisha, he had to let her know that he wasn't just interested in her for sex. Should he tell her that the oral sex felt really good? Or should he just keep it to himself and tell her if she asks him? Simon didn't know the answers to these questions but he was happy that he had to ask them.

* * *

><p>Simon found Alisha outside tanning on a lunch table. He hoped she was wearing sun block, one can't be too careful. Alisha had her headphones on and even with her eyes closed she looked distant and untouchable. Simon's stomach was in knots.<p>

Simon was calling her name but she didn't hear him over the music.

"Alisha ... Alisha ... Alisha"

Those green eyes cracked open and fix him with an icy stare.

"What?" She pulled a headphone out of her ear.

"Do you like food?"

"Do I like food?"

It was all unraveling. He smoothed his hair down.

"I mean eating. We could go for pizza and some garlic dough balls."

Alisha sits up, looking incredulous.

"Are you asking me out?"

Simon's blue eyes are fixed on her. He nods.

"I think about you. Not just since you ..." Simon glanced back towards the building.

"You think about me? Have you been wanking over me?"

Simon shook his head, but he could see this was not going to end well.

"If you want to wank over someone, wank over Kelly, ya?" Alisha's body language said it all. Her parting word felt to Simon like a knife to the heart. "Freak."

Simon watched her walk away. The pain was nearly too much to handle.

"Why are you doing this to me!"

Simon just wanted to go somewhere and hide. He had no idea what happened. Maybe Alisha was just embarrassed because she was so forward in the locker room.

* * *

><p>Simon was still taking it all in when he saw the police officer that was investigating Tony's disappearance in the office, talking to Shaun, the new probation worker. Simon went invisible and listened in to their conversation only to have his worst fears realized. The police were investigating Sally's disappearance and were getting a warrant to search the building. Simon had to move Sally before anyone found out that he killed her.<p>

Simon got Sally out of the freezer, covered her in a tarp and loaded her onto a trolley to wheel her out of the building. He was on his way out of the building when he ran into Nathan in the hallway. Out of nowhere Curtis showed up and punched Simon in the face accusing him of hurting Alisha. Didn't they know he would never hurt Alisha? Alisha and Kelly showed up in time to keep Curtis from beating Simon to a pulp. In all of the ensuing confusion, Kelly heard Simons thoughts and finds out that Alisha gave him oral sex. Simon was in a state of panic.

The gang all realized something odd was going on when Nathan discovered Simons secret. Simon knew the group would react poorly to Sally's death, but it wasn't his fault. He told them, he told them everything. Sally was Tony's girlfriend. She knew that the group had killed him and she was going to the police. Simon tried to reason with her but she attacked him. They had to understand, but they didn't understand at all. Nathan was walking away. If Nathan walked away they all would. Nathan had the least to lose out of everyone.

As Nathan walked out of the doors at the end of the hall, another Nathan walked out of the bathroom. While everyone else in the group tried to wrap their brains around what they were seeing, Simon figured it out in an instant. There was a shape shifter in the building and he had a grudge against the group for something. Knowing about the shape shifter was sort of a relief. Though Simon was a little sad that it wasn't actually Alisha in the locker room.

* * *

><p>The group put together a plan to search the building for the shape shifter. They even made up a password in case they were infiltrated.<p>

Monkey slut.

Of course Nathan came up with the password but everyone had to agreed to it. The odds of it coming up in normal conversation were next to nil. They were walking the halls wondering who it could be when they came across Lucy. Lucy made eye contact and ran, her dark hair streaking out behind her. That was all they needed to know that she was the shape shifter. When Shaun, the new probation worker, rounded the corner, Curtis warned the group that they just killed Shaun thinking he was Lucy and he had to rewind time. Simon was grateful they hadn't killed a third probation worker, though he was glad that it was Kelly with crushing blow to the head AGAIN and not him.

The group cornered Lucy in the office but she turned into a mouse and got away. She managed to infiltrate the group. Nathan was taken out by a fake Simon. As Nathan stared at the plastic pipe sticking through his chest, he couldn't believe that little shit, Simon, had killed him again. One by one the group found Nathan pinned against the wall. Kelly, Simon and Alisha, all armed with blunt objects ready to smash the mouse. Once it was discovered the password was compromised, they all decided to display their power to prove identity.

First Alisha touched Simon. He immediately declared he wanted to stick his cock into her hairy armpit. Nathan filled him in on the pertinent details once Simon could think straight again. Simon didn't know if he'd ever be able to look Alisha in the face again. Simon disappeared into thin air and had just popped back in when Curtis came running into the room. Unable to turn back time on command, Kelly accused Curtis of being Lucy and smacked him in the head with a hockey stick dazing him.

Before anyone could react Kelly decided to kill the doppelganger because she knew too much and wrapped a piece of clear plastic around Curtis' head. The group killed before but never like this, with intent. It was always an accident born of necessity. Nathan told Kelly she couldn't just kill the crazy girl. Simon demanded that she stop while Alisha ran to find the real Curtis. Kelly kept tight hold of the plastic despite Nathan and Simons protests. Simon couldn't do this ... he couldn't be a party to cold blooded murder like this.

"Stop it now!"

The look in Kelly's eyes said it all. She was intent on killing Lucy. Simon couldn't just watch, without thinking his swung the crowbar he was holding and cracked Kelly in the side of the head. She and Curtis fell in a heap. Curtis gasped for breath as Kelly released the plastic. Kelly lay there with a pool of blood spreading around her head. The lights began to flicker and the form on the floor began to moan and writhe until it was Lucy laying there instead of Kelly. She died, staring at Simon with accusation in her clever eyes. Nathan was around long enough to see Kelly get cracked in the head and hit the ground. When he finally revived he was glad to see it was Lucy that Simon brained and not Kelly.

* * *

><p>That night they all rowed out into the middle of the lake together . They dumped both Sally and Lucy into the dark water. Simon was sad. He had killed them both to protect his friends. Ironically, he killed Lucy trying to protect Lucy. Nathan sat in the boat eating a Cornetto and everyone took in that they had two more bodies to account for in future. They all knew that eventually this was going to come back to them.<p>

Alisha had Simon on her mind again. He saved Curtis and in doing so, killed another girl with which he had a personal connection. And she thought of Curtis, Curtis was in mortal danger tonight and Alisha was terrified for him. That terror was a clarifier, she thought of Curtis as a friend. She had to admit to herself that it didn't run much deeper than that, friends with benefits. Alisha wanted more for herself than that, even though she wasn't ready for it yet.

When they got the boat back ashore, Alisha pulled Curtis aside and broke it off.

Curtis for his part, was just happy to be alive. All Curtis wanted to do is thank Simon and go home.

"Simon, you're a good mate. I'm sorry for hitting you today and I'm sorry about before, the whole thing with Alisha. Thanks for saving my life tonight. I don't really know what else to say."

Simon just nodded and shook Curtis' hand. He didn't feel like any type of hero.

Alisha walked up to Simon. She looked contrite and embarrassed.

"Simon, I know I don't deserve a second chance to be your friend, but I would like one. I'm sorry. I'm sorry about how I've treated you. Curtis and I have broken up and even if we didn't, I'd still be sorry. Gah, that sounded lame."

Simon just looked at Alisha. He was numb, he didn't have the capacity to feel anything for her in this moment.

She looked at him with pleading eyes, "Do you want to go for a drink and talk about it?"

Simon shook his head, turned and walked away.


End file.
